Chapter 18: The Start of University Life

After saying goodbye to Zhang Na, Chen Yuchen entered the bustling gymnasium. It was packed with freshmen checking in for registration. Along the east side of the basketball court, rows of small desks had been set up, each with a sign marking different departments: Computer Science, Humanities, Economics, and Management.

Chen Yuchen quickly found the registration desk for the Computer Science Department and joined the line. Ahead of him, two female students were quietly chatting while waiting. They occasionally stole glances at him, their curiosity evident. One of the girls, Pan Hui, finally gathered the courage to speak up.

"Are you in the second class of the Computer Science Department too?" she asked timidly.

"Yeah," Chen Yuchen replied coolly with a nod.

Pan Hui felt a bit shy, having never initiated a conversation with a boy before, but she pressed on. "Did you come to register by yourself?"

"Yes," Chen Yuchen answered briefly, his tone calm.

"Wow, that's impressive," Pan Hui said, admiring his independence.

Chen Yuchen offered a slight smile but didn't say more, his attention drifting back to his phone. Pan Hui felt a bit awkward after his short reply, but her friend seemed equally curious. The two girls exchanged looks, occasionally stealing glances at him again.

Finally, it was Pan Hui's turn to register. She seemed confused by a few sections on the form, and the advisor, Hu Kai, spent some time explaining it to her, but Pan Hui still looked lost. Unable to watch her struggle any longer, Chen Yuchen quietly said, "For this section, just fill in the birthplace from your household registration book."

"Really?" Pan Hui asked, uncertain, turning to Hu Kai for confirmation.

Hu Kai nodded quickly. "Yes, that's correct."

Pan Hui filled out the form, casting a grateful glance at Chen Yuchen, who didn't acknowledge it, instead focusing on filling out his own registration.

Hu Kai, the advisor, appeared to be in his mid-twenties, slightly chubby, with black-rimmed glasses. He had a scholarly look, possibly a recent graduate himself. Noticing Chen Yuchen's calm demeanor and stylish appearance, Hu Kai seemed impressed and struck up a conversation. "Where are you from?"

Chen Yuchen briefly mentioned his hometown.

Hu Kai nodded. "Oh, I thought you might be local. Did you come here alone?"

Chen Yuchen nodded again. "Yeah."

Hu Kai, surprised, asked, "You seem pretty comfortable with these forms. Have you done this kind of thing before?"

"No, I just think there's no need to explain so many details to the students. Just tell them what they need to fill out, and that's enough," Chen Yuchen replied casually as he finished his form and handed it over.

Hu Kai was momentarily taken aback, unsure how to respond. He watched as Chen Yuchen walked away, thinking this student seemed a little different but couldn't quite pinpoint why.

After registering, Chen Yuchen took his dorm key and made his way to his assigned room. His dormitory was located in an old building that had originally been constructed as a guesthouse in the last century. The exterior still retained some Jiangnan-style architecture, but the interior was dated and worn. However, the area surrounding the dorm was pleasant, with a wide main road lined with tall sycamore trees and a small forest of water cedars behind the building.

After completing the check-in process at the dorm office, Chen Yuchen carried his backpack upstairs. As soon as he opened the door to his dorm room, three pairs of eyes turned to look at him—his other three roommates had already arrived.

A boy leaning by the window, smoking, introduced himself first. His name was Zhang Yi, from Beijing, decked out in designer clothes that screamed "rich kid." He greeted Chen Yuchen with a grin and a thick Beijing accent. "Hey, bro, where are you from?"

"Xuhai," Chen Yuchen replied calmly.

Zhang Yi smiled and offered him a cigarette. "I'm from Beijing. Looks like we're gonna be brothers now!"

The other two roommates introduced themselves as well. Zhang Ben, a muscular, dark-skinned boy from the northeast, spoke with a strong northeastern accent and had an easygoing, straightforward vibe. The last roommate, Wang Yishu, was thin and quiet, wearing a pink T-shirt. He seemed more introverted and shy.

"Why does your name sound like a girl's?" Zhang Ben teased with a chuckle.

Wang Yishu awkwardly smiled, clearly used to such jokes.

After the introductions, the atmosphere in the dorm began to relax, and the group started chatting casually. Zhang Ben suggested they rank themselves by age and assign each person a "big brother" or "second brother" title. Chen Yuchen, however, was uninterested in such juvenile games. Internally, he felt worlds apart from these fresh-faced college students. After all, mentally, he was already thirty years old and had seen far more than his roommates could imagine. Playing along with these games felt beneath him.

Still, he didn't outwardly reject the idea, participating in the conversation quietly. As the others continued chatting, Chen Yuchen's mind wandered to his plans. He had already accumulated a decent amount of money from his writing, and his next step was to buy an apartment in Jinling. That way, he could move out of the dorm and avoid the hassle of dorm life altogether.

For Chen Yuchen, the start of university life felt like an experience he had already lived. This time, however, he was determined to navigate it more smoothly and with greater purpose.